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"It would become a testing point regarding the government’s determination to push for the relaxation of COVID control measures," they said. China reported 17,772 new local COVID-19 infections for Nov. 14, up from 16,072 new cases a day earlier and the most since April, with major cities including Chongqing and Zhengzhou among the worst-hit. On Monday, Beijing's most populous district of Chaoyang, where most of its cases are located, moved some testing sites closer to residential compounds. On Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV said Chaoyang district was adding more testing sites, including near office buildings. Under China's new rules, testing efforts are to be more targeted, easing what has been a significant financial burden on cities.

Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERSDUBAI, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is working with Lazard (LAZ.N) on funding options and a potential initial public offering of Masar, a $27 billion mega project in the holy city of Mecca, two sources with direct knowledge told Reuters. The PIF, Lazard and Masar did not respond to a Reuters query for comment. Bloomberg first reported Lazard was advising the sovereign wealth fund on NEOM. Masar is a 1.2 million square metre urban development project in the western part of Mecca. Reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh;Editing by Elaine HardcastleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Meet the key people involved in the passing of the torch at Ray Dalio's Bridgewater Associates
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Co-CEOs of Bridgewater Associates Nir Bar Dea and Mark Bertolini. When it comes to the world of hedge funds, there's arguably no bigger name than Ray Dalio. It's not just the fact that Dalio grew Bridgewater Associates to the $150 billion behemoth that it is today. To be sure, Bridgewater isn't the only hedge fund in the midst of a changing of the guard. The dispute between billionaire Dan Och and Sculptor Capital Management doesn't seem like it'll be cooling off anytime soon.

☆ Suspect in Paul Pelosi attack was in U.S. illegally, immigration officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — The suspect who violently assaulted Paul Pelosi with a hammer last week was in the U.S. illegally, immigration officials confirm. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has asked San Francisco County to hand DePape over to the agency, meaning that DePape could eventually be deported back to Canada. For the state charges, he could face 13 years to life in prison if he is convicted and the federal charges carry a maximum of 50 years in prison. Investigators say DePape broke into San Francisco home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul on a mission to hold her hostage and break her kneecaps. Law enforcement determined Saturday that DePape had been living for the last two years in the garage of a residence in Richmond, just outside San Francisco.

☆ Accused Paul Pelosi attacker David DePape could be deported after release from custody, DHS says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, lodged an "immigration detainer" on 42-year-old Canadian national David DePape, DHS told CNBC in a statement. The detainer requests that the San Francisco County Jail notify ICE before DePape is done serving time so that the immigration officers can take custody of him. The Democratic House speaker was in Washington, D.C., at the time. Paul Pelosi managed to call 9-1-1, and when officers arrived, DePape struck him in the head with the hammer, authorities said. DePape arrived at the San Francisco home toting zip ties, tape, rope and at least one hammer, according to the affidavit.

☆ The man accused of attacking Nancy Pelosi's husband is in the country illegally from Canada and could be deported, immigration officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi was in the United States illegally and faces possible deportation. He faces both federal and state charges in connection to last week's attack on Pelosi. David DePape, 42, faces federal and state charges over last week's attack on Paul Pelosi, which left the 82-year-old man hospitalized with a skull fracture and other injuries. ICE puts so-called immigration detainers on people who've been arrested on criminal charges and whom ICE believe could be deported under the Immigration and Nationality Act. DePape faces 50 years in prison if convicted on both federal charges against him.

☆ Pelosi hammer attack suspect was in U.S. illegally, immigration officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Ted Hesson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency said it had issued a "detainer" notice with San Francisco authorities seeking custody of David Wayne DePape once criminal proceedings against him are completed. Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who is second in the line of succession to the presidency, was in Washington at the time. The attack left Paul Pelosi, 82, with a fractured skull and injuries to his arms and hands for which he underwent surgery, according to the speaker's office. CNN, citing unnamed sources, reported on Thursday that the real estate and venture capital executive has been released from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and was back home resting six days after the attack. The detainer is a request to another law enforcement agency to notify ICE before any deportable individual is released from detention so immigration officials "can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting," the agency says.

☆ U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband released from hospital after hammer attack
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Ted Hesson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband has been released from the San Francisco hospital where he underwent surgery for injuries suffered when attacked by a hammer-wielding intruder at the couple's home six days ago, she said on Thursday. Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who is second in the line of succession to the presidency, was in Washington at the time. The attack left Paul Pelosi, with a fractured skull and injuries to his arms and hands for which he underwent surgery, according to the speaker's office. Federal prosecutors have charged DePape separately with assault and attempted kidnapping charges punishable by up to 50 years in prison. The detainer is a request to another law enforcement agency to notify ICE before any deportable individual is released from detention so immigration officials "can take custody of that person in a safe and secure setting," the agency says.

☆ Five lions escape enclosure, sparking alarm at Sydney zoo
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Kriti Gandhi | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Five lions managed to escape their enclosure at an Australian zoo Wednesday, sparking a brief emergency as officials rushed to contain them. The lions — four cubs and a male adult named Ato — slipped loose from the enclosure at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo due to “an integrity issue with a containment fence,” the zoo said in a statement early Wednesday. Lion cubs at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney on August 12, 2022. All guests at the zoo were moved to a designated safe zone until the lions were safely back in their enclosure. No animals or humans were injured in the lions’ short escape and the zoo later opened as normal, officials said.

☆ Ancient Greek artifacts go on display for first time, amid protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A visitor takes a picture of a marble Cycladic female figurine, during the opening of the exhibition ''Homecoming. Cycladic treasures on their return journey'' at the Museum of Cycladic Art, in Athens Greece, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Fifteen ancient Greek artifacts from the private Cycladic art collection of a U.S. billionaire went on display for the first time on Wednesday in Athens, under an agreement which has stirred controversy in Greece. A small group of protesters held a white banner outside the museum during the event on Wednesday reading, "They're stolen." Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Additional reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"With the zero-COVID policy here to stay, we think the economy will continue to struggle heading into 2023," Zichun Huang, economist at Capital Economics, said in a research note. At this month's twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, President Xi Jinping reiterated China's commitment to its zero-COVID policy, disappointing investors and countless Chinese frustrated by lockdowns, travel curbs and testing. "We don't expect the zero-COVID policy to be abandoned until 2024, which means virus disruptions will keep in-person services activity subdued," said Huang from Capital Economics. New cases in mainland China hit 2,898 on Sunday, topping 2,000 for a second straight day, a tiny number by global standards. However, in Beijing the Universal Resort theme park reopened on Monday after being shut last week because one visitor had tested positive for coronavirus.

One year and billions of dollars later, the so-called metaverse still feels years away, if it ever manifests at all. And Meta’s flagship social VR app Horizon Worlds can feel like a ghost town (albeit a ghost town with laser tag). Meta’s latest headset, the Quest Pro, is its first effort at combining the immersiveness of VR with the real world. The VR headset market is still tiny compared to, say, an established gadget market like console video games. A visitor to the 2022 Tokyo Game Show tests the Meta Quest 2 VR headset.

☆ Charity clothing stores turn to Depop and Instagram as they head upmarket with vintage and designer items
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Britain's charity shops are changing how they look and trying to appeal to Gen Z customers. They're selling more designer and vintage items, creating listings on Depop, and carefully curating their social-media profiles — all targeted mainly at appealing to the growing number of Gen Z shoppers. The managers told Insider their retro and vintage stores were largely in urban areas with large student populations. Non-essential retail stores had to shut their doors for months during the pandemic, which the Charity Retail Association estimates cost UK charity shops about £28 million ($32 million) a month. But, as the aisles of charity shops across the UK show, a lot of people do choose to donate them.

☆ London's $96 million cable car, which became an unlikely viral hit on TikTok, has been given a makeover
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Stephen Jones | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

London's $96 million cable car system has a new look and name change. The cable car struggled to attract commuters but has proved a hit on TikTok. The transport system's rebrand was unveiled at a recent event as IFS Cloud Cable Car. While the cable car has struggled to attract commuters it has proved to be a popular hit on social media during that time. According to TfL's figures, about 15 million people have used the cable car in the decade since it opened.

☆ Shanghai Disneyland reduces operations as China tightens COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Shanghai Disneyland will operate at reduced capacity from Saturday to comply with COVID-19 measures, the resort said in a statement, in another sign of tightening curbs across China as it seeks to contain the spread of coronavirus infections. The amusement park will operate with a reduced workforce on a temporary basis, which will have an impact on the operation of certain attractions, restaurants and shops, it said on its official Wechat account. Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, Disneytown and Wishing Star Park will operate normally, it said. In Beijing, the Universal Resort theme park was shut on Wednesday after at least one visitor tested positive for the coronavirus. Reporting by Dominique Patton; Editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' targeted with glue and liquid by climate activists
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Climate activists targeted Johannes Vermeer’s masterpiece “Girl with a Pearl Earring” with glue and liquid on Thursday but one of the world’s most iconic paintings was not damaged in the latest of such publicity-seeking stunts. A video posted on Twitter showed one man pouring a can of red substance over another protester who appeared to attempt to glue his head to the glass-protected painting. The second man stuck his hand to the panel holding the centuries-old painting. “Art is defenseless, and the Mauritshuis firmly rejects attempts to damage it for any purpose whatsoever,” the museum said. It refused further comment since it argued it would only give the protesters further publicity.

☆ The kick comes at the end - world's hottest chili flavours French chocolates
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Lucien Libert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] French chocolatier Damien Vidal poses with chocolates flavoured with Carolina Reaper chilli pepper at the Paris Chocolate fair in Paris, France, October 28, 2022. REUTERS/Lucien LibertPARIS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - It is hard to come up with something new at Paris' annual chocolate fair, but French chocolatier Damien Vidal found a way to put a mouth-tingling twist on his confectionary: incorporating the world's hottest chili. Two Japanese tourists and other visitors at the chocolate fair gamely tried the shiny chocolate-chili balls and nobody spat them out. "Mmm, it is both sweetie and spicy, not too spicy, the spicy taste is mild," said Japanese student Hitomi Ebitani. French fair visitor Justine Bonneau agreed.

☆ Disney CEO Bob Chapek Wants to Customize Fan Experiences
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Walt Disney is focused on telling stories in “a more customized, more personalized way” and “bringing together the physicality plus the media element of Disney,” chief executive Bob Chapek said Wednesday. Speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference, Mr. Chapek said the entertainment company is working on ways to unite its two main business lines—its parks, experiences and products division and its media, content and streaming division—using the Disney+ app. The idea, he said, is to steer content to customers based on what theme park rides a visitor prefers, for example, rather than trying to predict what a customer will like based on past viewing or personal information.

☆ Chinese cities tighten curbs against widening COVID outbreaks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Chinese cities from Wuhan in central China to Xining in the northwest are doubling down on COVID-19 curbs, sealing up buildings, locking down districts and throwing millions into distress in a scramble to halt widening outbreaks. Wuhan, site of the world's first COVID-19 outbreak in late 2019, reported around 20 to 25 new infections a day this week. Nevertheless, local authorities ordered more than 800,000 people in one district to stay at home until Oct. 30. Other large cities across China including Zhengzhou, Datong and Xian have implemented new curbs this week to rein in local outbreaks. China has repeatedly vowed to stick to its zero-tolerance response to COVID-19 and implement what the authorities say are necessary measures to contain the virus.

☆ Photos show what Tower Rock, a limestone formation in the middle of the Mississippi River, looks like before and after severe drought dropped water levels
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tower Rock, a limestone formation in the middle of the Mississippi River, is newly accessible by foot. The Mississippi River is experiencing historic low levels, likely due to climate change. Tower Rock was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1970. The region, including the Ohio River and the Upper Mississippi River valleys, has not received enough rain to sustain usual water levels, Insider's Morgan McFall-Johnsen and Paola Rosa-Aquino reported. These variable river conditions are consistent with scientists' predictions of climate change creating more unpredictable weather events.

☆ I'm a former Airbnb employee who's now a host. I make up to $18,000 a month in revenue — here are the strategies I use.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Claire Turrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Daniel Rusteen is a host for one Airbnb property and a manager for five others. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Daniel Rusteen, a 34-year-old Airbnb consultant and former Airbnb employee. The Belmonte Penthouse. As with my Airbnb property company, I have a team on the ground. My typical guests are men ages 20 to 40 from the US or EuropeThe living wall at The Belmonte Penthouse.

☆ These 15 people are shaping the office of the future, designing meeting pods, hologram calls, and buildings that actually make workers healthier
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +27 min

These 15 power players are just a handful of the people designing workplaces to balance productivity, interaction, and employee well-being through indoor-air-quality monitoring systems, building amenities, holographic meeting spaces, and more. AftershipCities like Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Raleigh, North Carolina, began offering business-relocation incentives during the pandemic to boost their workforces and help increase occupancy in office buildings. Room's office suite includes a phone booth, a meeting room, an open meeting room, and a focus room. Room also makes a soundproof meeting room that fits two people, a more open meeting booth, and a focus room designed for quiet concentration. "The future of office work needs to be guided by a new, genuine form of flexibility in which the work, not the workers themselves, become even more malleable," Petersen writes.

House Democrats have unified as they fight to retain their fragile majority in next month’s midterms. But given Biden’s unpopularity and the GOP lead on the generic congressional ballot (which asks only which party people would support), the more likely scenario is a bad election night for House Democrats. If Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn head for the exits, the leadership matchups become pretty clear. Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., conducts a news conference in the Capitol Visitor Center on Sept. 20. The Massachusetts Democrat has significant support from fellow female members and has stayed close to the Black, Hispanic and Asian caucuses — big voting blocs in the diverse 220-member Democratic Caucus.

☆ New contemporary art event boosts Paris scene
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Elizabeth Pineau | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A visitor walks past the "Buste de Diego" (1961) by artist Alberto Giacometti as Paris+ par Art Basel international contemporary art fair opens in Paris, France, October 19, 2022. The event, "Paris+ par Art Basel", was awarded to Art Basel, one of the giants in the art world, which hosts fairs in Switzerland as well as Miami and Hong Kong. Contemporary art, dating roughly from 1945 onwards, made up 23% of the art market in 2020-2021, compared with 3% in 2000-2001, according to the Artprice data bank. The Paris event replaces the International Contemporary Art Fair (Fiac) and follows the high-profile Frieze fair in London. Paris is the only big city in the continent, the only important city for contemporary art, so it was an obvious choice," Kilchmann told Reuters.

☆ Chinese scientists say they're working on an anti-ship missile that can fly as high as an airliner and dive as deep as a submarine
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Chinese scientists say they're working on a ultra-fast weapon that is both missile and torpedo. It will fly at supersonic speeds and use supercavitation to reach high underwater speeds, they say. But the Chinese weapon appears to be a missile that turns into a rocket-propelled torpedo once it hits the water. In the 1950s, the US Air Force and Navy examined boron-based jet fuel — "zip fuel" — for aircraft such as the proposed B-70 supersonic bomber. A visitor tours a torpedo room in a submarine that served the Chinese Navy in 1960s at a Navy museum in Qingdao in September 2012.

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